Category

Tarot Decks

Some tarot bloggers I greatly enjoy reading do deck interviews (see the end notes for links to said blogs, because credit is a beautiful thing). Inspired by them, I decided to interview a new-to-me deck. Perhaps annoyingly to my dear readers (note the completely unfounded but optimistic assumption that more than one of you is out there reading this!) this deck is out of print and hard to find. I scored one at a reasonable price by a stroke of random luck, and so far? I love it.

The Victoria Regina deck had been on my ‘it’ll never happen’ wishlist for a while. Last fall, I stumbled cross a list of for-sale decks from an east coast stalwart of the tarot community, and she had it listed for a price that, while fair, I could not *quite* justify. I mentioned I was interested, but the price was out of reach, and she ultimately made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. My box came sealed, and included the oversized deck, a hefty book, and a blue velvet bag.

The deck is by Sarah Ovenall and George Patterson and was published by Llewellyn in 2002. The artists used engravings from the 19th century as source material for the cards. Though sourced from various commercial images, if you have ever seen those Dover books you’ll recognize a lot of the images! Somehow it feels old and new at once, maybe because the images are so recognizable. Everything is black and white, and the images are layered and lush in a collage style. As a RWS focused reader it feels generally familiar, and they have used Mason jars for cups, fountain pens for wands, pocket watches for coins, and guns for swords.

Okay…onto the interview!

Tell me about yourself. What is your most important characteristic as a deck?Queen of Coins

This deck is confident and secure. It will offer a sort of kindhearted and loving wisdom that is in tune with the the real world.

What are your strengths as a deck?Hermit

This deck is good for internal and contemplative work–work that is all about me (or, of course, the querent, should I use it to read for others). This deck can help me find my way,or a way, and be a guide that does not follow any conventional rules, but offers freedom to grow and learn.

What are your limits as a deck?Princess of Wands

There is a simplicity to this deck that hints that any ‘buzz’ or passion may not last long term.

What can you teach me?8 of Cups

This deck can teach me to embrace uncertainty and follow my instincts.

How can I learn from you?6 of Wands

This will work best if I am confident, and don’t search for praise, but can handle criticism or what may appear to be indifference. I should stay optimistic and believe in myself.

What is the potential outcome of our working together?5 of Wands

A light battle! A bit of conflict, but with a sense of play, excitement, and a definite joy in action. Don’t give up at signs of trouble.

Such an interesting interview! The limit of getting bored seems to counter the collaboration and outcome, that of staying strong, self-confidence, and taking joy in play-fighting. I haven’t read with this deck since this interview, but I look forward to doing so in the future

One thing I expected might be a turn off was the monarchy and royalty stuff, not to mention the colonialist ‘sun never sets’ era stuff. I am not a fan of those kind of structures in societies, to say the least. In fact, I dedicate much of my work in other areas of my life to *de*colonizing. However, and thankfully, this did not get in the way of my understanding, using, recognizing, and even enjoying the imagery, and I also enjoyed reading about the history that is built into the book that comes with the deck. I appreciate that there is a definite OTP–of the people–side to the deck; it’s not all romantic lives of rich colonial era royals! This is a definite labor of love as a deck.